''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina.

Description

''Phormictopus'' species are quite large spiders; for example a female of '' Phormictus auratus'' had a total body length of with the longest leg (the fourth) being long. They have

stridulating Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fish, snakes and spiders. The mech ...

organs on the coxae and trochanters of the pedipalps and first pair of legs. Males have two apophyses (projections) on the tibia of the first pair of legs, and urticating hairs of type I. Females have a two-part spermatheca, and urticating hairs of types I and III.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Phormictopus'' was erected by

Reginald Innes Pocock Reginald Innes Pocock F.R.S. (4 March 1863 – 9 August 1947) was a British zoologist. Pocock was born in Clifton, Bristol, the fourth son of Rev. Nicholas Pocock and Edith Prichard. He began showing interest in natural history at St. Edward ...

in 1901. He transferred ''Mygale cancerides'', first described by Pierre André Latreille in 1806, to his new genus as the type species. When Jan-Peter Rudloff reviewed the genus in 2008, it included 14 species. He reduced this number to seven definitely belonging to the genus, and described five more. Three species were considered misplaced in ''Phormictopus'', but no definite alternative placement was provided. With these exclusions, the genus is probably restricted to the West Indies.

Species

, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species: *''

Phormictopus atrichomatus ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormic ...

'' Schmidt, 1991 – probably

Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and th ...

*''

Phormictopus auratus ''Phormictopus auratus'', commonly known as the Cuban bronze tarantula, is a species of tarantula endemic to Cuba. It is found in the provinces of Camagüey, Las Tunas and Holguín. It was first described by David Ortiz and Rogério Bertani in 2 ...

'' Ortiz & Bertani, 2005 – Cuba *''

Phormictopus australis ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Mello-Leitão, 1941 - Argentina *''

Phormictopus bistriatus ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Rudloff, 2008 – Cuba *''

Phormictopus cancerides ''Phormictopus cancerides'', also known as the Hispaniolan giant tarantula, is a tarantula endemic to Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Hunting During the day they hide under rocks and debris, and come out at night to look for prey. Their fangs are ...

'' (Latreille, 1806) ( type species) – Caribbean to Brazil *''

Phormictopus cautus ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' (Ausserer, 1875) – Cuba *''

Phormictopus cochleasvorax ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Rudloff, 2008 – Cuba *''

Phormictopus cubensis ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Chamberlin, 1917 – Cuba *''

Phormictopus fritzschei ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Rudloff, 2008 – Cuba *''

Phormictopus jonai ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Rudloff, 2008 – Cuba *''

Phormictopus melodermus ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Chamberlin, 1917 –

*''

Phormictopus platus ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormict ...

'' Chamberlin, 1917 – United States or

*''

Phormictopus ribeiroi ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormic ...

'' Mello-Leitão, 1923 - Brazil *'' Phormictopus schepanskii'' Rudloff, 2008 – Cuba

In synonymy

* ''Phormictopus cancerides centumfocensis'' (Franganillo, 1926) = ''

'' * ''Phormictopus cancerides tenuispinus'' Strand, 1906 = ''

'' * ''Phormictopus dubius'' (Chamberlin, 1917) = ''

'' * ''Phormictopus nesiotes'' Chamberlin, 1917 = ''

'' * ''Phormictopus piephoi'' Schmidt, 2003 = ''

Nomina dubia In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium'' it may be impossible to determine whether a s ...

''Phormictopus brasiliensis'' Strand, 1907 - Brazil ''Phormictopus hirsutus'' Strand, 1907 - Venezuela

Transferred to other genera

''Phormictopus intermedius'' (Ausserer, 1875) → '' Cyrtopholis intermedia'' ''Phormictopus multicuspidatus'' Mello-Leitão, 1929 → ''

Proshapalopus multicuspidatus ''Proshapalopus'' is a genus of South American Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Cândido Firmino de Mello-Leitão in 1923. Species it contains four species, found in Colombia and Brazil: *''Proshapalopus amazonicus'' Rogéri ...

'' ''Phormictopus pheopygus'' Mello-Leitão, 1923 → ''

Acanthoscurria gomesiana ''Acanthoscurria gomesiana'' is a species of tarantula first identified in Brazil in 1923. It is known for producing the gomesin peptides, a class of proteins which have found to have anti-tumour and anti-microbial properties. References T ...

Description

Taxonomy

Species

In synonymy

Nomina dubia In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium'' it may be impossible to determine whether a s ...

Transferred to other genera

References

Further reading